"half-ass" meaning in English

See half-ass in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈhæfæs/ [General-American] Forms: more half-ass [comparative], most half-ass [superlative]
Etymology: See half-assed. Head templates: {{en-adj}} half-ass (comparative more half-ass, superlative most half-ass)
  1. (vulgar) Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent. Tags: vulgar Translations (produced in an incompetent manner): puolivillainen (Finnish), na pół gwizdka (note: not vulgar) (Polish), feito nas coxas [informal] (Portuguese), meia-boca [informal] (Portuguese), тяп-ляп (tjap-ljap) [colloquial] (Russian), на отъебись (na otʺjebisʹ) [vulgar] (Russian), через жопу (čerez žopu) [vulgar] (Russian), chapucero (Spanish), cutre (Spanish), fulastre (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-half-ass-en-adj-k~HD5ryS Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 63 37 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 67 33 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 65 35 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 72 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 73 27 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 77 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 78 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 80 20
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: half-arse [Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK]

Verb

IPA: /ˈhæfæs/ [General-American] Forms: half-asses [present, singular, third-person], half-assing [participle, present], half-assed [participle, past], half-assed [past]
Etymology: See half-assed. Head templates: {{en-verb}} half-ass (third-person singular simple present half-asses, present participle half-assing, simple past and past participle half-assed)
  1. (slang, vulgar, transitive) To perform a task incompletely or carelessly. Tags: slang, transitive, vulgar Related terms: half-assed, half ass, phone in Translations (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly): bâcler (French), fazer nas coxas (Portuguese), халтурить (xalturitʹ) (Russian), chapucear (Spanish), chambonear (Spanish), chancar [Bolivia] (Spanish), machetear (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-half-ass-en-verb-TiA98SOA
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: half-arse [Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK]

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_text": "See half-assed.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more half-ass",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most half-ass",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "half-ass (comparative more half-ass, superlative most half-ass)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "63 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "67 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "73 27",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "77 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1969, The End of the Road by John Barth (page 155)",
          "text": "the only abortion she could get even in the city would be a half-ass job by some half-ass doctor who could mess her up for the rest of her life"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent."
      ],
      "id": "en-half-ass-en-adj-k~HD5ryS",
      "links": [
        [
          "incompetent",
          "incompetent"
        ],
        [
          "desultory",
          "desultory"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(vulgar) Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "vulgar"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "word": "puolivillainen"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "note": "not vulgar",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "word": "na pół gwizdka"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "tags": [
            "informal"
          ],
          "word": "feito nas coxas"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "tags": [
            "informal"
          ],
          "word": "meia-boca"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "tjap-ljap",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "tags": [
            "colloquial"
          ],
          "word": "тяп-ляп"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "na otʺjebisʹ",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "tags": [
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "на отъебись"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "čerez žopu",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "tags": [
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "через жопу"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "word": "chapucero"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "word": "cutre"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
          "word": "fulastre"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhæfæs/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand",
        "UK"
      ],
      "word": "half-arse"
    }
  ],
  "word": "half-ass"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "See half-assed.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "half-asses",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "half-assing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "half-assed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "half-assed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "half-ass (third-person singular simple present half-asses, present participle half-assing, simple past and past participle half-assed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1999, W. Peter Iliff, Varsity Blues, spoken by Mox (James Van Der Beek):",
          "text": "Now, we go out there and we half-ass it because we're scared, all we're left with is an excuse. We're always gonna wonder. But, we go out there and we give it absolutely everything… that's heroic.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Guardians of the Eagle by John D. Messer (page 102)",
          "text": "if you're working for me and I send you to do a job and you half-ass it, that reflects on me. In civilian life, we'd just fire you. Here I can't get rid of you."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To perform a task incompletely or carelessly."
      ],
      "id": "en-half-ass-en-verb-TiA98SOA",
      "links": [
        [
          "incompletely",
          "incompletely"
        ],
        [
          "carelessly",
          "carelessly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, vulgar, transitive) To perform a task incompletely or carelessly."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "half-assed"
        },
        {
          "word": "half ass"
        },
        {
          "word": "phone in"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang",
        "transitive",
        "vulgar"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
          "word": "bâcler"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
          "word": "fazer nas coxas"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "xalturitʹ",
          "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
          "word": "халтурить"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
          "word": "chapucear"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
          "word": "chambonear"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
          "tags": [
            "Bolivia"
          ],
          "word": "chancar"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
          "word": "machetear"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhæfæs/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand",
        "UK"
      ],
      "word": "half-arse"
    }
  ],
  "word": "half-ass"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "See half-assed.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more half-ass",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most half-ass",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "half-ass (comparative more half-ass, superlative most half-ass)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English vulgarities"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1969, The End of the Road by John Barth (page 155)",
          "text": "the only abortion she could get even in the city would be a half-ass job by some half-ass doctor who could mess her up for the rest of her life"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "incompetent",
          "incompetent"
        ],
        [
          "desultory",
          "desultory"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(vulgar) Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "vulgar"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhæfæs/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand",
        "UK"
      ],
      "word": "half-arse"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "word": "puolivillainen"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "note": "not vulgar",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "word": "na pół gwizdka"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "word": "feito nas coxas"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "word": "meia-boca"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "tjap-ljap",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ],
      "word": "тяп-ляп"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "na otʺjebisʹ",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "tags": [
        "vulgar"
      ],
      "word": "на отъебись"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "čerez žopu",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "tags": [
        "vulgar"
      ],
      "word": "через жопу"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "word": "chapucero"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "word": "cutre"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "produced in an incompetent manner",
      "word": "fulastre"
    }
  ],
  "word": "half-ass"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "See half-assed.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "half-asses",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "half-assing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "half-assed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "half-assed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "half-ass (third-person singular simple present half-asses, present participle half-assing, simple past and past participle half-assed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "half-assed"
    },
    {
      "word": "half ass"
    },
    {
      "word": "phone in"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English transitive verbs",
        "English vulgarities"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1999, W. Peter Iliff, Varsity Blues, spoken by Mox (James Van Der Beek):",
          "text": "Now, we go out there and we half-ass it because we're scared, all we're left with is an excuse. We're always gonna wonder. But, we go out there and we give it absolutely everything… that's heroic.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Guardians of the Eagle by John D. Messer (page 102)",
          "text": "if you're working for me and I send you to do a job and you half-ass it, that reflects on me. In civilian life, we'd just fire you. Here I can't get rid of you."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To perform a task incompletely or carelessly."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "incompletely",
          "incompletely"
        ],
        [
          "carelessly",
          "carelessly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, vulgar, transitive) To perform a task incompletely or carelessly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang",
        "transitive",
        "vulgar"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈhæfæs/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand",
        "UK"
      ],
      "word": "half-arse"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
      "word": "bâcler"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
      "word": "fazer nas coxas"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "xalturitʹ",
      "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
      "word": "халтурить"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
      "word": "chapucear"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
      "word": "chambonear"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
      "tags": [
        "Bolivia"
      ],
      "word": "chancar"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to perform a task incompletely or carelessly",
      "word": "machetear"
    }
  ],
  "word": "half-ass"
}

Download raw JSONL data for half-ass meaning in English (5.8kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.